Feb. 14 marks the one year anniversary of the shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. To remember the seventeen students and staff members who died, and to pray for an end to gun violence, Grace Church will host a prayer vigil beginning at 6pm in the Sanctuary. Special thanks go to Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America - Traverse City Chapter, for the planning of the vigil, and to the Grace Chapter of Episcopal Peace Fellowship for their participation. Refreshments will follow the service in the Parish Hall. Please join us.

Vestry Update

Our vestry retreat on February 2-3 was a Spirit-filled and productive weekend. The beautiful winter setting at Omena House provided a perfect background for our continued transformation. We crafted a new mission statement, which gets to the heart of who we are to be and summarizes the data we received from many parish meetings and the Congregational Assessment Tool survey:

We are an Episcopal church committed to Welcome, Relationships, Outreach, and the Transformational Power of the Spirit.

In other words, we are God's grace, in action, within our church and among our community. Our priorities this year will focus on what it truly means to be a welcoming congregation -within our walls, and among our community. Especially important will be the welcoming of our new Rector. We are excited for 2019 and look forward to serving this amazing parish! Your Vestry Officers: Barb Dancer, Senior Warden; Elizabeth Black, Junior Warden; James Deaton, Clerk; Kathryn Holl, Keep.

The Rev. Thomas Brown

elected 10th Bishop of Maine

Many of us here at Grace remember The Rev. Thomas Brown as simply Thomas, who spent time at Grace one summer while he was a seminarian at Church Divinity School of the Pacific in the mid-1990's. Thomas was elected to become the 10th Bishop of Maine on Feb. 9, 2019. You can read about Thomas and the election by visiting the Episcopal News Service website, or the Diocese of Maine website. He currently serves The Parish of the Epiphany in Winchester, MA. We wish him well!

Grace Connections Reflection for February:

The Heart of Grace

Almost two thousand years ago, the Roman philosopher Pliny the Elder said "home is where the heart is." That phrase is universal today and suggests that regardless of circumstance or place, our sense of security and trust is with the people we love and not just
our birth family. With many of us far from our families of origin, we create groups of friends and places of community that nourish, support and help us grow, hopefully like our families did when we were young. Grace Church can be such a place for caring, sharing and growth if you choose it. The connections we make in a Christian ethic of love, forgiveness, acceptance and grace provides community if we choose to reach out. Ministry opportunities allow us to learn and grow, widening our experiences and opening our hearts and minds, just as we were encouraged to do as children. There are opportunities to use and develop gifts God has given us and discover the joy of sharing with others. Take some time over the next few weeks to look at the Grace Connections board and prayerfully consider where you might commit to caring and sharing in the life of our church community.

Registration is now open for Episcopal Youth Camp's summer programs...

... for children, youth, and families. At camp, we come together to form Christian Community as we play and pray, sing and share, and look outside of ourselves to service in and with the wider community. This summer we'll be walking the Way of Love, answering the Presiding Bishop's call to journey with Jesus and establish a personal rule of life. More information including program descriptions, dates, and locations, are available on the camp website at www.episcopalyouthcamp.org.

Cookie Walk exceeds goal of $3000!

Thanks to the generosity of the parish and community, and due to the hard work of a large team of volunteers, our 2018 Cookie Walk raised $3,224.45 . We are now holding $7,389.14, raised over the last two years, towards the purchase of a new commercial dishwasher for our kitchen. We are so grateful for your generosity! Thank you! Nan Strickler and Ellen Schrader, the coordinators of the 2018 event, are stepping down after working with the late Maxcie Latimer since 2015. If the parish desires that the Cookie Walk survive as a fundraising mechanism, new leadership will need to step forward. Contact the office if interested.

Flower and Lamp sign-ups have moved

The Altar Guild Flowers and Sanctuary Lamp sign-ups have been moved to the wall near the west door in the Parish Hall (between the bathrooms). Many thanks to those who have already signed up.

Candles, anyone?

We are now using oil rather than wax candles at our worship services, and find ourselves with an excess of partially used large candles. Do you know of anyone who perhaps makes candles or uses them for a variety of reasons? If so, have them contact Sue Bush or Kay Rickard.

Altar Flowers

The Altar Flowers are given this weekend by Kate Wood, to the Glory of God and in thanksgiving for her daughter, Erin Marie Wood. The Sanctuary Lamp is given this weekend by the Altar Guild, to the Glory of God.

Did you know Grace Church is part of the Amazon Smile program? We ask you to consider supporting Grace Church through this program. It doesn't take more than a minute to register, then eligible purchases will benefit Grace Church.Follow this link to learn more...